New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-05-04
wand Of fate for good or. evil was
waved suddenly with tragic force, and

wand Of fate for good OF. evil was
waved suddenly with tragic force. and.
the battle was drawn.
There were footballs on the stairs; a
second OF two later the door opened,
and her mother entered, pale, gentle
and kindly looking. AT first her face
was reproachful; then. as her quick
glance met Alice's, it became sur
prised, concerned; and q second later
l thought swift, precious thought
that she: looked pleased. I found
out aFterward she was pleased.
One afternoon in the pr evious spring,
when Alice was saying good-b
at the door to one of her pupils. a
little girl OF whom she was very fond,
a gentleman passing designedly at
the tlme-walted a few moments at
the gate, giving smile OF recognition
to the child, and enjoying undisguis-
edly the sweet display of election
which the little pupil threw into her.
adieu. a minute after, the child put
her hand into his and chattingly went
along with him.
That was Philip Yewburton, my
rival, a man OF whom Mrs Ashbury
knew hardly anything, except
mistakable facts-that he was pos
sessed OF extensive means, and was
making a very protracted stay at the
Imperial protracted, she afterward
concluded, on account OF Alice.
The little girl, whom the doctors had
ordered to Westmouth for the winter,
was staying with her mother at the
same hotel. Thus Mr.. Yewburton had
become acquainted with them, and
soon managed, in the furtherance Of
his designs to establish very agreea.
BILE intimacy with little Lucy Winchat.
The incident on the afternoon I have
alluded to, followed by one or two
similar occurrences, was eelipsed in
the course Of a week or so by the
meeting of Alice and Mr.. Yewburton
in Mrs. Winchat's rooms.
This opportunity for g. possible in
timacy was improved by Mr.. Yewbur-
ton most advantageously in often
taking his little friend for lesson,
and still oftener in calling for her when
it was over.
All this time, imperceptibly at first,
l suppose, then faster and faster as
the charm OF Alice fascinated and en-
thralled hinl-he was falling in love.
And Alice-it seems that she was, too.
The man was handsome, agreeable,
and well off.
Well Off Forbear sneering, reader,
if you are inclined to sneer. Alice had
suffered something from s'the sings
and arrows of outrageous fortune"
She had eaten the bread OF poverty
after her palate had grown accustomed
to a very different diet. But her own
poverty was not Alice's chiefrefection.
Her mother was poor, very poor, and
growing old. And what was I? Twas
not worth a thought; though I was
not treated according to merit, I re-
celved at that time many q thought,
many an anxious, yearning, forgiving
thought. But time receded; Mr.. Yew-
burton advanced; I was SILENT and
Alce's heart was lost and won.
One afternoon in April Mr.. Yewbur-
ton called ostensibly for Lucy Win
chat, after being we'll assured that
Lucy had left ten minutes ago. The
violin was on the table, and Alice,
lovely and serene, was sitting before
the little Pickering fire alone.
After a quarter of an hour passed
in sweet converse, he took up the vio-
lin.
would you have me for pupil?'
he asked.
"You are too DID," said Alice. 81
could never teach you"
"I'm only thirty" he laughed, stand
you could teach me easily, I knowyou
could. Now try. How do you hold
the thing?"
s'There were smiles, there was laugh
ter, and the room was filling with
love.
From one to the other passed the
violin, now under Alice's chin, elegant
~, exquisitely held (ah, how | used
to gaze at her in thatlovely attitude!)
now clumsily -ridiculously-in the
hands OF her eager pupil.
'"There! there!" she cried, ssnow YOU
have it indeed'
Alice looked at him, looked with
laughing eyes full of admiration, but
his face changed. He looked back at
her with a strong yearning love. His
eyes spoke eloquently. so eloouently
that Alice looked on the floor. Then
the violin spoke-spoke sweetlv and
distinctly: "Tell me, Mary, how to
WOO thee"
She jumped up. 'fYou impos-
tor!'' but Mr.. Yewburton went on
playing, and soon glancing from
that plaintive air, as Alice sat
down again, he touched those respon-
sive chords till they moaned, and wall
ed and pleaded, as nothing can wall
and plead but a violin in the hand az
its master.
. No; shall tell you no more of that
love-scene. hate the thought of it..
But within a week Of that afternoon
Alice Ashbury had pledged her word
to marry Mr.. Yewburton.
''Who was Mr.. Yewburton?n asked
Mrs. Ashbury; and he frankly told
her.
Six months ago he was engaged to
be married. His fancee died before
the day fixed for the wedding, and
he believed that he would never